Breaking the walls
by Nadeshiko Fullbuster
Summary: Kazuya is actually scared of thunder, and managed to hide it from Yoichi until a certain night. Already established realtionship after their days at Seidou.


The thunder bolt was ragging outside, making the furnitures of their little apartment tremble, creating an uneasy mood and making the rooms flash ghostly for a instant, projecting shadows on the walls.

Kazuya was dead awake in their bed, unable of falling back asleep, hands gripping the sheets so hard they were sticking to his palms. His boyfriend's snoring was coming from his side, which meant that Yoichi was deeply asleep. The catcher had been working on his breathing for 30 minutes to not avail, he was feeling his lungs pressuring him, almost empty of air and cold sweat was dripping from his forehead, sliding and disappearing in the pillow. At this rate he was going to wake up the other, so he delicately left the bed. When he was heading for the doorknob, a new bolt cracked, more impressive and louder than the other ones, which made Kazuya shrieked in pure fear, despite his efforts of keeping it quiet. He completely lost the sensations in his knees and buckled down on the floor. He brought his shuddering hands to his heart in a vain attempt of to calm it and cursed himself for being so weak and afraid of something that could not even harm him directly. He was feeling like a little lost boy and he hated it. He was struggling to get up on his own when two hands slipped under his armpits gently to pull him back on a warm chest, the arms locking around his chest, as if to protect him from the thunder.

"Hey, are you okay? Can you breathe with me?"

So much for waking him up in the end. A bitter smile stretched on his face, knowing that Yoichi won't back off until he understand the situation. He let his head fell on his lover's shoulders, and tried to synchronise his breathing with Yoichi's. The latter had slide his hand under Kazuya's shirt, pressing his palm on his chest to help relieving the pressure. The sweet feeling made him lean in the touch and his breathing settled a bit though still jumpy as the thunder did not stop on falling.

Yoichi tangled their legs together, still on the floor, and kept on massaging his chest. He had been startled and worried when he saw him on the floor, but strangely not surprised. It was a bit sad to realize that their was still some things that he did not know about Kazuya or things that the other did not tell him yet. At this state of their relationship, they were still time when they fight, childishly or seriously, but it was their beloved routine and they won't have it any other way. Yet, Yoichi thought he had broken all the walls Kazuya built between himself and the rest of the world.

He sighed a little, but let it all go as it was not important right now; his over was a bundle of fear and anxiety and he had to do something about it.

Drastic situations call for drastic remedies.

"Kaz, can you lift your arms up for me?

"Y-yeah, but why..."

As soon as the catcher executed himself, the shortstop brought his hands to the other's ribs and began to tickle mercilessly. At first, Kazuya was still feeling restless, but he soon felt a bubblle of laughter coming up and he could not resist any longer.

He burst out of laughter, falling on the side with Yoichi all over him, tickling his ribs, his armpits, his feet and his throat. Kazuya was frantically shaking his head, tears dripping a little and hitting the floor with his palm in a sign of surrender.

"Hahahahahaaaa! What the hell Yoichi?! You just broke the romantic mood!"

"It wasn't romantic at all, idiot! You were freaking scared and I'm saving you, so be grateful yahaa!"

Even in the unlit room, he could see that Kazuya's face had regained colours, and he was trembling from all the tickling, not from the thunder any more. But, most importantly, he had the chance to be offered his lover's pure and genuine laugh, which he only heard a couple of times, since they got together in their second year of high school.

Their little rumbling on the floor lasted for a little bit longer and they stopped, panting, Yoichi hovering over Kazuya, admiring his facial features. His face without glasses allowed him a better view of his eyes. Chocolate when he was happy, cooking or talking, amber when he was focused on baseball and when planning strategy, glittering from mirth when he was his twisted self... and his favourite, golden when he was crouching in the catcher box or standing in the batter box.

Right now they were a light, liquid and sweet brown. Vulnerable. Adorable. Desirable.

"Did you calm down?"

"Yeah, thank you."

Yoichi smiled a little and proceeded in running his fingers across the other's face, lovingly caressing his strong cheekbones, brushing away his brown bangs, to finally stop on his lips, which Kazuya parted automatically. He bent down, supporting himself on his elbows, and stopped millimetres away from his lips.

"Ne, Yoichi..."

"Yeah?"

"I know I'm not the easiest person to live with and I'm certainly a pain in the ass, but... it's not like I was trying to hide things from you, it's just..."

"...that you are incredibly complicated? I know that and it's one of the reasons I love you. We're both pains in the ass, you know?"

 _Don't worry about those damn walls. I'll destroy them one by one and come for you._

"That I know too well." Kazuya smiled.

"You bastard..."

 _My bastard._

They laughed a little, and Yoichi put one his arms around Kazuya's wait and his other hand reached for his neck. They rested their foreheads against each other's, sharing their body heat and recorded this moment in their brains forever, as it was a night where Yoichi succeeded in breaking one more wall.

As he was craddling him in his arms, Yoichi sealed their lips while the thunder raged once again. However, they could not hear it over the sound of their burning love.

 _Tell me when you're afraid so that I can reach your hand save you from yourself._

He pulled the catcher closer, tighter in his arms, and Kazuya grabbed his shirt in response.

"I love you Yoichi."

 _I will always wait for you, idiot, for you are the catcher of my heart._

"I love you too."


End file.
